Improvement in refrigerators



E. s. comm" Improvement'n Refrgeraors.` N0. 130,981. Patented Sep.3, 1872.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD S. OOLTON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IM PRVOVEMENTv IN REFRIGERATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 130,981., dated September 3, 1872.

SPECIFICATION.

I, EDWARD S. GoLToN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Refrigerators, of which the following is a specification:

Figure l of the accompanying drawing represents a central longitudinal vertical section,

and Fig. 2 is a central transverse vertical section of my improved refrigerator.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in refrigerators, whereby a simple, economical, and effective apparatus is secured, that will produce a perfectly dry air, prevent dampness, taint, or mustiness of the meat contained therein, or the intermingling ot' the taste or odor of one article of food with another, and that requires but a comparatively small quantity of ice for its effective operation. My improvementsconsist, mainly, in arranging, as will be hereinafter more. fully explained, the icechamber of a refrigerator above the meat compartment, and constructing it of galvanized iron or other suitable metallic material formed with an inclined bottom having proper apertures opening into a longitudinal trough, connected by an outlet with an eduction-pipe, the ice-chamber being provided with vertical tubes opening at the bottom into the foodcompartment below, and inclined at the top so as to partly extend up over the ice, so that when any excess of heat, dampness, or steam, &c., arising from the meat, Svc., is too great to be carried oil', by the means provided for it, and hereinafter explained, it is conveyed up through the vertical tubes into the icechamber, where, becoming cooled, the heat or' vapor, &c., is condensed and ows down the inclined bottom of the ice-chamber into the perfectly sweet.

In the drawing, a represents the outer c ase of a refrigerator provided with suitable covers, b and c, and door d. In the upper part of the case a. is placed a galvanized iron or other suitable metallic ice-tank or chamber, e, formed with an inclined bottom, f, that has suitable outlets opening into a longitudinal trough, g, formed on or attached to the under side of the -lower end of the bottom f, and having on its ertures opening into the food-chamber o of the refrigerator, which is provided with adjustable shelves i t i z'. The trough g is provided with an outlet pipe, k, which connects with an eduction-pipe, l, that passes through the refrigerator and out at the bottom, under which a vessel may be set for the collection of the drainage received by the trough g. Resting on the bottom d of the ice-chamber eis a rack, of galvanized iron or other suitable material, arranged with arched or other proper-shaped longitudinal bars, m m m m, supporting transverse bars n n n n, on which the ice is deposited and its weight evenly diffused, so as not to bear too much upon any one portion of the bottom d, and to allow ofthe dripping of the ice to ow down the inclined bottom d into the trough g. By the use of the metal rack an ice-tank may be constructed of thin material and without the use of any board or thick under support, and thereby enabling the cold to penetrate more directly into the chamber below.

Reference being had to the drawing, it will readily be seen that the meat, Svc., is kept entirely separate from the ice, and that any steam or dampness, &c., arising from'the former is carried up and collects on the under side of the bottom f, where it becomes condensed by.

the cooling properties of the ice held vin the tank e, and iiows into the trough g through the -opening g', and out' of the' refrigerator through the eduction-pipe l.

Ordinarily the means above described would be sucient to carry off the dampness, Suc.,

collecting in the food-chamber, but at times,

when the refrigerator is full or overloaded, the steam, &c., arising is too great to be rapidly condensed, in which case the tubes h h carry of the excess of.steam, &c., over the ice, Where it is .speedily condensed, and the food-chamber relieved of the dampness, &c., which could not otherwise be carried oif, but Would remain, and taint the meat, &c., or give a disagreeable flavor or odor to the articles contained in the refrigerator.

My invention may be used With equal fa- :cility either in an upright or chest form.

Having thus fully described my improvements, What I claim as my invention, and desire to have secured to me by Letters Patent, 1s

A refrigerator, arranged with an ice-tank or chamber, e, constructed of galvanized iron or other suitable metallic material, and having anI inclined bottom, f, on which rests' a galvanized or other suitable metallic rack, the said bottom f bein g provided with upright tubes h h and proper outlets opening into a longitudinal trough, g, attached to the bottoni of the lower portion of the tank e, which connects with an eduction-pipe, l, passing through a food compartment, o, provided with shelves i z' i i, substantially as specified.

' In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

EDWARD S. GOLTON.

Vtnesses:

CARROLL D. WRIGHT, SAML. M. BARTON. 

